Genotoxic effect of substituted phenoxyacetic acids.

The potential toxic and mutagenic action of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid has been studied in different test systems, and the obtained results range from increased chromosomal damage to no effect at all. We reexamined the effect of this herbicide by simultaneous using three tests based on yeast, transformed hematopoietic, and mouse bone marrow cells. The results obtained demonstrated that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid has cytotoxic and mutagenic effects. The positive response of yeast and transformed hematopoietic cells was verified in kinetics and dose-response experiments. The analysis of metaphase chromosomes indicated a statistically proved induction of breaks, deletions, and exchanges after the intraperitoneal administration of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in mice. The study of phenoxyacetic acid and its differently chlorinated derivatives showed that cytotoxicity and mutagenicity are induced by chlorine atoms at position 2 and/or 4 in the benzene ring. The mutagenic effect was abolished by introduction of a third chlorine atom at position 5. Thus 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid was found to have very weak, if any mutagenic effect; however, the herbicide preserved its toxic effect.

Effect of Putrescine, 4-PU-30, and Abscisic Acid on Maize Plants Grown under Normal, Drought, and Rewatering Conditions.

The experiments were carried out with maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings, hybrid Kneja 530, grown hydroponically in a growth chamber. Twelve-day-old plants were foliar treated with putrescine, N1-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N2-phenylurea (4-PU-30), and abscisic acid (ABA) at concentrations of 10(-5) m. Twenty-four hours later the plants were subjected to a water deficit program, induced by 15% polyethylene glycol (PEG; molecular weight, 6,000). Three days after drought stress half of the plants were transferred to nutrient solution for the next 3 days. The effects of the water shortage, rewatering, and plant growth regulator (PGR) treatment on the fresh and dry weights, leaf pigment content, proline level, relative water content (RWC), transpiration rate, activities of catalase and guaiacol peroxidase, hydrogen peroxide content, and level of the products of lipid peroxidation were studied. It was established that the application of PGRs alleviated to some extent the plant damage provoked by PEG stress. At the end of the water shortage program the plants treated with these PGRs possessed higher fresh weight than drought-subjected control seedlings. It was found also that putrescine increased the dry weight of plants. Under drought, the RWC and transpiration rate of seedlings declined, but PGR treatment reduced these effects. The accumulation of free proline, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide was prevented in PGR-treated plants compared with the water stress control. The results provided further information about the influence of putrescine, 4-PU-30, and ABA on maize plants grown under normal, drought, and rewatering conditions. Key Words. Maize-Putrescine-4-PU-30-ABA-Drought

Effect of cytokinins on ribosomal RNA gene expression in excised cotyledons of Cucurbita pepo L.

Excised pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) cotyledons were used to investigate the effects of two different types of cytokinins: N(6)-benzyladenine and N1-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N2-phenylurea on RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei. Treatment of cotyledons with both cytokinins resulted in a rapid enhancement of nuclear RNA-polymerase-I activity (EC 2.7.7.6). Maximum stimulation of RNA polymerase I, responsible for rRNA synthesis, was observed 4-6 h after the start of cytokinin action. The activity of RNA polymerase II was stimulated much more slowly and to a lesser extent. Uridine 5'-monophosphate-uridine analysis of the alkalidigested nascent pre-rRNA chains showed that the stimulation of RNA-polymerase-I activity was the consequence of an increase of the polyribonucleotide-clongation rate. No significant change in the number of transcribing enzyme molecules was defected after hormone treatment (86·10(3) RNA-polymerase-I molecules per diploid genome).Indications that de-novo protein synthesis is necessary for cytokinin-mediated RNA-polymerase stimulation were derived from experiments showing inhibition by cycloheximide.

Conformational analysis of cytokinins and analogs.

The conformational energy surfaces of 12 active cytokinins and analogs are studied with the aid of PCILO quantum mechanical calculations. The resulting conformational energy maps indicate that cytokinin activity is associated with the ability of the above molecules to attain a specific conformation, presumably related to their conformation at the active site of cytokinin receptor(s). The calculations locate the conformational energy minima and describe the flexibility of the studied molecules in terms of conformational barriers and transition paths. An approximate relation is found between cytokinin activity and the values of energy barriers to transitions between certain local minima. According to this relation, active compounds should have rotational barriers within 4-12 kcal/mol, besides the known hitherto constitutional requirements for high physiological activity.